Memorial Middle School

A $25M referendum was passed by Fair Lawn voters in 2018 for additions to both Memorial and Thomas Jefferson Middle Schools. Due to increased enrollment in the District, it was identified that additional instructional space was required. Since the Memorial Middle School is located in a flood hazard area and could not expand outward, LAN’s team of architects, MEP engineers, civil enginners, and land use professionals successfully designed a challenging second floor addition above the existing entrance. 

A major goal of the addition and renovations were to develop 21st century learning techniques as a staple of the school’s curriculum. The addition of nine new classrooms, as well as a dedicated STEAM lab, create additional space to accommodate relocated 5th grade students from the elementary schools to the middle schools. Developed in the space directly above the main entrance, a new 3,500 sf media center fosters collaboration and innovation for all users. Flexible seating, including re-arrangeable tables and individual reading nooks, are dispersed throughout the area, creating spaces for teachers to take their lessons out of the traditional classroom and into a space that fosters interactive learning, as well as encouraging student choice. The project also consisted of the addition of a new art room.

The new HVAC systems at Memorial Middle School rely on roof top units (RTU’s) to supply ventilation and control temperature in the building. To help reduce energy usage, the larger RTU’s use CO2 sensors to increase ventilation air only when room occupancy increases. Heat exchangers are also used to capture the energy from the air being exhausted. The project also consisted of the development of new air conditioning for the school’s auditorium, that allows the air-conditioning could be redirected to the Gymnasium when not used for the Auditorium through a series of motorized dampers. A new elevator now provides barrier free access to the school’s second floor.